Mud Cloths

Utah Museum of Fine Arts

Teacher Resource Center

MUD CLOTH

Country/Culture: Africa

Materials:

Accession no: ED 2005.2.3

Written By: Brittani McLeod

The Mud cloth, also known as Bogolanfini (“Bo-ho-lahn-FEE-nee"), has been an important part of African tribes for many centuries; it is used as part of their oral traditions, religion, and aesthetic preferences.

The Bogolanfini is unique in both the patterns applied, and the meanings that they entail. The cloths—which are made for events such as birth, marriage, death, war, and hunting— have symbols on them that tell stories, portray proverbs, and protect the wearer (Jones).

Although women make up the majority that wear the Bogolanifini, in certain situations men also wear them. Bogolanfini’s that are painted red, instead of black, are created for hunters and warriors. The symbols painted onto the cloth are used as charms to protect the men from danger. The men are also responsible for the beginning process of the mud cloth (Jones).

To start the process a man harvests and spins cotton. This is then woven into long strips called finimugu, which are sewn together for the desired length and width of the cloth. The women then boil the cloth in hot water, shrinking it to its permanent size. After this is done they move the cloth into another solution of water and leaves, gathered from the Bogolon tree, which will allow the cloth the ability to absorb the mud paint. They then remove the Bogolanifini from the solution, and dry it in the sun. Once dry they are now able to apply the intricate patterns (Jones).

Although the women usually create these mud cloths during the summer months—when they have more time to do non-agricultural activities—the designs for the cloth can be imagined throughout the year (Smithsonian Institution, 2002). Once the dye is prepared they are ready to paint. To do this they use many objects including palm fibers, feathers, and sticks (Jones). Once applied, they wash the cloth in yet another solution of leaves, grasses, and herbs. They then dry the cloth again; repeating the process until they have the desired shade in which they are looking for. The final step is to bleach the white parts so that they are no longer yellow—a result from washing them in the solutions (Smithsonian Institution, 2002).

Jones, K. M. (n.d.). Joh Henrik Clarke Africana Library: History, Origin and Signifigance of Mud Cloth. Retrieved May 1st, 2008, from Cornell Library: http://www.library.cornell.edu/africana/about/mudcloth.html

Natural Dye Mud Cloth. (n.d.). Retrieved may 7, 2008, from African Nomad: http://www.africanomad.com/textile.html

Smithsonian Institution. (2002). Discovering Mudcloth: An African Voices Exhibit. Retrieved May 1, 2008, from Smithsonian: National Museum of Natural History: http://www.mnh.si.edu/africanvoices/mudcloth/index_flash.html